The innovative mixing unit, made through additive manufacturing, considerably reduces energy consumption and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Frankfurt, Germany – November 21, 2019 – GKN Additive, a leader in the metal additive manufacturing (AM) market, and Kueppers Solutions, a specialist for industrial combustion technology, announced their strategic partnership today. By mass-producing highly energy-efficient mixing units for industrial burners, both companies tap into a new market and create a thorough reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions in the industry.
To make the burning process more efficient, Kueppers Solutions has developed a mixing unit for natural gas burners that optimizes the combustion process with a significant reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions. Due to its intelligent design, the application is only feasible in metal additive manufacturing. With GKN Additive, Kueppers Solutions has found a powerful partner for further market expansion.
“Together with the RWTH Aachen University, we have screened the entire market in order to find a suitable partner for the industrialization of our product. GKN Additive’s experience in series production and their application know-how across a broad range of industries is unique,” said Jens te Kaat, CEO of Kueppers Solutions.
“Typically, we are used to explaining our project in detail to potential partners and still tend to encounter obstacles. With GKN it was the other way around: their team was the fastest to understand the potential. GKN’s ‘Let’s do it!’ mentality corresponds with our own attitude.”
Industrializing energy-efficient burner systems
Both partners’ current focus is on the ramp-up of the mixing unit’s series production in selective laser melting (SLM) and the joint development of an individual material, engineered for the application. GKN intends to manufacture the next generation of the mixing unit using their metal binder jet solution HP Metal Jet; the application is ideally suited for this process and will become more cost-effective.
“Climate change challenges all of us to think of new ways to substantially reduce emissions,” said Guido Degen, President Additive Manufacturing at GKN Powder Metallurgy. “Kueppers’ mixing unit has made a significant contribution to preserving resources and with our experience across the whole AM value stream, we will drive the industrialization of this highly innovative product. Our common goal is to open up the market by upgrading thousands of outdated industrial burner systems with 3D-printed mixing units.”
To connect with GKN Additive and Kueppers Solutions at Formnext, please visit Hall 12.1/Stand C51 and at their scheduled press conference on November 21 at 14:00 CET at the GKN Additive booth.
About GKN Additive
GKN Additive is a digital manufacturer of advanced metal AM parts and materials for prototypes, medium series, and the aftermarket, striving to push new technologies to the limit to make them simpler, faster and more accessible. GKN Additive is backed by GKN Powder Metallurgy’s dual expertise in powder production, metal processing and an engineering network of more than 7,400 employees in over 30 locations around the world.
About Kueppers Solutions
The foundation for Kueppers Solutions GmbH was established in 1875 with the foundation of the Küppersbusch company. High-performance burners and industrial burner technology represent the core business. Since 2016 Kueppers Solutions is under new management and employs a staff of 30 thermoprocessing specialists at their production plant in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Together they have equipped more than 10,000 industrial burner systems with Küppersbusch burners already. For Kueppers Solutions, the implementation of climate policy goals through energy-optimized use of fossil fuels and the reduction of emissions is a corporate goal.